Jarvi offers first-rate performances of this glitteringly colourful music which includes the lovely May Night overture (regarded by some as Rimsky’s finest) as well as the exotic suites from The Golden Cockerel, The Snow Maiden, and Mlada, which contains some of the composer’s most striking music, showing the influence of Wagner under which Rimsky-Korsakov was working for a brief period. The ‘Dance of the Tumblers’, the ‘Procession of the Nobles’, the ‘Wedding Feast’, ‘Death of King Dodon’ are all famous orchestral showpieces which never fail to make an impact, though equally atmospheric and magical is the music from The Invisible City of Kitezh.

This was the first project of Chandos with Neeme Järvi and the Scottish National Orchestra and is now regarded as a classic amongst the conductor’s now vast discography. The performances are exquisite and the sound outdoes itself in impact!

This is a must-have set for fans of Rimsky-Korsakov, and anyone who loves blazing orchestral colours.

Reviews

Neeme Jarvi draws the most seductive response from the SNO; he consistently creates orchestral textures which are diaphanously sinuous. Yet the robust moments…are caught just as strikingly and the listener is assured that here is music which survives repetition uncommonly well.Pengiun Complete Guide

These are brilliant recordings in every respect, and there is no better collection of this colourful music. Every time I listen to these I liked the music even better – and I have always loved it.
I can’t imagine being without this. If you are, you really must hear it.American Record Guide